READ THE CITIZENS' VOICE

Digital Only Subscription
Read the digital e-Edition of The Citizens' Voice on your PC or mobile device, and have 24/7 access to breaking news, local sports, contests, and more at citizensvoice.com or on our mobile apps.

Digital Services
Have news alerts sent to your mobile device or email, read the e-Edition, sign up for daily newsletters, enter contests, take quizzes, download our mobile apps and see the latest e-circulars.

PLYMOUTH TWP. - Residents of the township have been flooded so often they know the drill when the Susquehanna River starts to rise.

But Thursday's flooding, the worst since Tropical Storm Agnes in June 1972, took even flood veterans by surprise. People watched anxiously to see whether the river would reach its predicted crest of 40.8 feet.

"We don't know. We're like everyone else, watching to see," firefighter Thomas Deretchin said at the municipal building, which had been turned into an emergency firehouse since the Plymouth Township Volunteer Fire Co. on East Poplar Street was evacuated. "God only knows if the dike's going to hold. Everybody's crossing their fingers."

By 4 p.m., many homes on U.S. Route 11, and Allen, East and West Poplar and Canal streets had water up to their first floor. Plymouth Township Emergency Management Coordinator Robert Dunn -whose own home on Allen Street was flooded - said the water was 7 and 8 feet high in places.

Leonard Stadts, who lives on Route 11 in the West Nanticoke section, put on his fishing waders to evacuate when the water reached his doorstep around 4 p.m. The last time the water reached his house was during the Agnes flood, he said.

"I just hope it doesn't reach the first floor," Stadts said.

But he was able to look at the bright side: "Hey, I don't have to water my tomato plants this week," he joked, adding, "I'll be back after it crests."

Supervisor Chairwoman Gale Conrad and her husband Mark towed their rowboat up a makeshift road over Avondale Hill to get a better view of the carnage in West Nanticoke. They launched the boat at Route 11 a few hundred yards from the state Route 29 intersection.

On U.S. Route 11 at East Poplar Street, cars were submerged to their roofs, propane tanks floated around the flooded PSC gas station and an assortment of peoples' belongings ranging from a mop and bucket to children's pool toys bobbed along on the dirty water.

The sign for the Calvary United Methodist Church was nearly underwater. A car, lifted by the flood water, floated near the door of the Shell gas station. A strong smell of petroleum permeated the air.

Megan Zywotek watched the flood creep up Route 11 near the township building, knowing it couldn't rise high enough to reach her house on the hill just up the road.

"It's fun. My kids love it," she said.

Her daughter Savana Gwynn, 11, agreed, watching as a Pennsylvania National Guard vehicle tried to plow across the flooded road but had to turn back because it was too deep.

"It's kind of fun to see cars and trucks drive through it, but it's kind of gross because rats and snakes are swimming around in the water," she said.

Conrad said she had requested state Sen. John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke, send in National Guard troops to deter looting and ensure people didn't enter closed roads.

"It's Agnes all over again," resident Ed Long said, watching the muddy water make its way up the pavement.

It was the first flood Long hadn't had to worry about: his home on Route 11 was bought out and demolished through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood mitigation program, and he moved to higher ground in the township.

"It gets to the point where enough's enough," Long said.

Exeter

The borough started to build a 450-foot long levee with dirt along Susquehanna Avenue around 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Council President Rich Murawski said.

Homes on the river side of the Susquehanna Avenue were evacuated.

Murawski said the dirt dike was going to protect homes on the other side of the street. A dirt dike in 2006 helped stop the river from crossing the street.

"I got to give them credit for trying," Bryon Baldygo said, watching work on the dirt dike from his home.

Baldygo said it took 90 minutes Thursday morning to get home from work at FedEx in Jenkins Township. It usually is a five-minute drive across the bridge to West Pittston, but that bridge was closed. He said he encountered bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Cross Valley Expressway.

Around 3 p.m., Darlene Swithers was planning to flee her home on the river-side of the road. The river was approaching the back of her house.

"I am ready to have a heart attack," she said.

Swithers said she bought her home 15 years ago. She said her home was not damaged by the 1972 Agnes flood.

Earlier Thursday, Carmen Mauriello and Andrew Schutz got in a row boat to save about six chickens at Frank's Produce on the river-side of Susquehanna Avenue.

Forty Fort

Dozens of people around 2:30 p.m. were looking at the Susquehanna River along the levee by River Street.

"I think we are going to be fine," Paul Congdon said, surveying the river.

A borough police officer told the crowd to get off the levee.

"We are not going to save you," an officer in a vehicle said to the crowd.

Police Officer David McDermott said traffic on River Street was "bumber to bumper" from noon to 2 p.m.

"It was a standstill," he said, adding the vehicles were trying to get on the Cross Valley Expressway.

Hanover Township

Four-year-old Dakota Telencho was the first to hear the sirens.

Telencho spread the news of the approaching water to her awakening family members yesterday morning as the fire trucks sounded their first warnings to evacuate.

"She said, 'We have to get out now!'" her grandmother, Mary Mallery, recalled.

Later that morning, Telencho and her aunt Ashlee Mallery looked down at the muddy water streaming less than 10 feet from the top of the dike behind their family's home on Norwood Avenue. Rising waters have threatened her family's home in the Iona Place section of Hanover Township three times in the two decades, Mallery said.

"I think this time it's going to be worse, because we still have a long way to go," the 21-year-old said.

The first challenge came as the family moved memorabilia and other collectibles from the bottom floor of their split-level home.

Second was finding a vacant hotel that allowed pets. And while the family waits to see if their home will be spared, they will also contend with few open stores to buy food and other necessities.

"Walmart is closed. That's when you know it's bad," Mallery said.

"When it's the whole valley, where are we supposed to go?"

Down the street, Nancy and James Chafin prepared to face their first flooding threat since moving into their house last November.

Nancy Chafin said her biggest concern was making sure her three children -- ages 3, 6 and 12 -- were safely out of range with friends in the Poconos. While her sons were excited to spend a few days playing video games, her 3-year-old daughter was nervous about being away from her parents -- and worried about her goldfish.

"I wanted to make sure they're safe and happy," she said. "They're irreplaceable."

Hanover Township Manager John Sipper said a good portion of the township lies in the 1972 floodplain. Part of the San Souci Parkway near Dundee Gardens remained closed, but no other roads were flooded as of Thursday afternoon.

Township supervisors declared a state of emergency early Thursday morning. Police and fire personnel were expected to monitor the situation all night, he said.

As far as preparedness goes, "we're in pretty good shape," Sipper said.

Kingston

About 2 p.m. Thursday, Bob Chopick Sr. and his four sons were loading computers and computer equipment from their Wyoming Avenue store, Custom Computers, onto a 14-foot-long U-Haul truck.

Chopick said he expected the levee system would prevent his store from flooding but didn't want to risk having equipment damaged, especially property of his customers.

"I would rather move the stuff and it not happen, than not move it and it happen," Chopick said. "We moved about 80 of everything in here. We have a responsibility to our customers."

Chopick has been moving the equipment to the garage of his Trucksville home.

At 2 p.m., George Tsioles was working at the Currys Donuts on Wyoming Avenue. The Trucksville resident said he was closing the store at 4 p.m.

He said business was busier than usual, with about 20 customers in the store from noon to 2 p.m.

"They were mostly saying 'don't get wet' and joking about it," Tsioles said.

West Pittston

Around 4 p.m. Thursday, hundreds of people were walking around the borough to see the rising river. Homes and yards along Second Avenue were covered with water.

The Pennsylvania Army National Guard armory was flooded, and several armory vehicles were parked along a dry stretch of Second Avenue. Some residents were busy evacuating and moving pieces of furniture onto trucks.

Wyoming

Mayor Bob Boyer said the recently opened Eighth Street Bridge was closed to traffic at 11 a.m. Thursday. A few hours later, pedestrians were prohibited from going on the bridge. During the afternoon, dozens of onlookers were walking to the edge of the bridge to see the rising river.

"We're holding our breath," Boyer said, adding he was concerned that the old Eight Street Bridge, part of which is still remains next to the new bridge, would be damaged by the river.

About 50 homes were evacuated, Boyer said. Borough police also helped escort a few airplanes on Wyoming Avenue that were being evacuated from the Wyoming Valley Airport.

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.